Pua Nā Pua Art Festival Celebrates Five Years

Full Life Hawai’i, Abled Hawai’i Artists (AHA) and Donkey Mill Art Center, have announced the 5th Annual Pua Nā Pua Art Festival — with a twist. 

With the mission to serve adults with developmental disabilities (DD) by providing visual and performing arts programming, the Pua Nā Pua Art Festival celebrates the fifth anniversary of this partnership with expanded in-person art experiences, an online auction and an art fair featuring works available for purchase by artists with developmental disabilities at Ali‘i Gardens Marketplace.  

The Pua Nā Pua Art Festival kicks off with the opening of the Online Silent Auction on May 22. Loaded with gift certificates and merchandise from some of your favorite Hawai’i Island restaurants, shops and businesses. Auction proceeds support the ongoing arts programming, which Pua Nā Pua offers to adults with developmental disabilities. The silent auction closes on June 5 at 1 pm HST. 

The Festival continues with in-person art experiences at the Donkey Mill Art Center on May 27, 28, 29 and June 3 and 4, where participants (ages 6+) can work with skilled teaching artists alongside Full Life and AHA artists. This year’s activities include opportunities to explore metals, clay, printmaking, origami, puppet making and more. Those who want to register are advised to do so early at donkeymillartcenter.org, as space is limited. 

The Festival culminates at Aliʻi Gardens Marketplace on Saturday, June 5, from 10 am to 1 pm with an art fair featuring work by Full Life and AHA artists.

“On behalf of Abled Hawai’i Artists, Full Life Hawai’i and the Donkey Mill Art Center, we are so thrilled to celebrate the fifth anniversary of an amazing collaborative partnership dedicated to providing arts experiences to people of all abilities,” said Ashley Raymond, Operations Director of the Donkey Mill Art Center. “This past year, we were all reminded of the importance of the arts and that they are essential for a thriving society. We are so grateful for the overwhelming support of our Hawai’i Island community and we invite all to join us for one — or more — of the festival programs this year.”

This partnership program between three Hawai’i Island-based nonprofits serves adults with developmental disabilities by providing visual and performing arts programming to foster artistic development, nurture confidence through gallery exhibitions and presentations and explore independence through self-employment.

Each year, the Pua Nā Pua program hosts weekly programs at the Donkey Mill Art Center for Full Life and AHA students to explore a variety of mediums including metals, printmaking, ceramics, and painting taught by local area teaching artists. 

Pua Nā Pua translates to “A Flower is a Flower,” a name celebrating the equality of art produced by artists of all abilities. This celebration is the first of its kind in West Hawai‘i, and inclusively celebrates the contributions of both developmentally disabled and non-developmentally disabled artists, with opportunities available to artists of all abilities.